Best Charcoal for Kamado Joe (UK Guide, 2026)

By Klim Artemov, founder of Globaltic

Short answer: Use good lumpwood charcoal. Kamado Joe itself recommends natural lump over standard briquettes, because briquettes leave more ash in a sealed ceramic cooker. Pick the lumpwood by the cook: silver birch for everyday grilling and long low-and-slow, oak or Spanish Holm Oak when you want serious searing heat. Large, low-ash, dry pieces matter more than the label.

A closed kamado is where good charcoal shows. In a kamado with the vents nearly shut, our silver birch lumpwood is rated at up to 8 hours on a single load. On an open grill, the same charcoal gives 3–4 hours.

Why a kamado is fussier than a kettle

A kamado is a thick ceramic shell with two vents. Every bit of air the fire gets comes through the bottom vent and has to pass through the charcoal. That makes three things matter more than on an open grill:

Piece size. Large pieces leave gaps for air. A bag full of dust and small fragments chokes the fire, makes temperature control twitchy and burns off fast.
Ash. Ash collects in the firebox and blocks the grate holes. On a long cook, a high-ash fuel can starve the fire before the food is done.
Moisture. Damp charcoal is slow to light, smokes on start-up and burns cooler. Store your bags dry, off the floor.

Kamado Joe's own guidance says you can use briquettes, but doesn't recommend them because of the ash they leave and the additives some contain (Kamado Joe).

Which lumpwood for which cook

Cook	Our pick	Why
Everyday grilling, chicken, veg, fish	Silver birch lumpwood	Clean, neutral flavour; up to 700°C; 80–90% carbon, under 3% ash, under 4% moisture
Low-and-slow (brisket, pork shoulder)	Silver birch or oak lumpwood	Both rated up to 8 hours in a closed kamado with low airflow
Steak and hard searing	Oak lumpwood or Spanish Holm Oak	Oak reaches up to 800°C; Holm Oak up to 950°C
A bit of sweet smoke	Apple lumpwood mixed in, or apple smoking chips	Fruitwood adds sweetness without overpowering

A single large piece of Globaltic silver birch lumpwood charcoal held in a gloved hand — Large, even pieces leave room for air in a kamado. This is a single piece of our silver birch lumpwood.

Not sure which to try first? The Classics Bundle gives you birch and oak together, so you can compare them on the same grill.

How much charcoal to load

Kamado Joe's guidance is to fill the firebox until the mound reaches the fire ring, and never to overfill. The maximum load is about 2.7kg for the Classic III and about 1.36kg for the Joe Jr (Kamado Joe; Kamado Joe manual).

Globaltic 5kg premium lump charcoal bag — Our 5kg bag is a good size for a Joe Jr or a quick cook on a Classic.

In practice:

Quick grill (under an hour): a half-full firebox is plenty.
Long cook (6 hours or more): fill to the fire ring. Put the large pieces at the bottom and fill the gaps with medium pieces so air can move.
Don't throw the leftovers away. Close both vents when you've finished cooking and the fire goes out. Next time, stir the ash through the grate, top up and relight. Good lumpwood relights well.

Lighting it cleanly

Skip lighter fluid. It can leave a chemical taste in a sealed cooker. Use natural firelighters such as wood wool instead:

Open both vents fully.
Push one or two firelighters into the charcoal near the centre (or in two or three spots for a hot sear) and light them.
Leave the lid open for around 10 minutes until the charcoal around them is glowing.
Close the lid and start closing the vents about 25°C before your target temperature. It's much easier to bring a kamado up to temperature than to cool it down.

Expect a little smoke while it lights. That's normal for any charcoal. Once the fire is established, good lumpwood burns with very little smoke and no chemical smell.

Where briquettes fit

Most kamado makers, including Kamado Joe, Kamado Sumo and Monolith, advise against standard briquettes. There are two reasons:

Additives. Many supermarket briquettes contain fillers and additives such as limestone, nitrates, coal or petroleum by-products to help them light and hold shape. Kamado ceramic is porous. Chemicals and lighter fluids can be absorbed into it, contaminating the grill and tainting the flavour of future cooks (Big Green Egg; Kamado Sumo).
Ash. Fillers leave a lot of fine ash, which clogs the grate and starves the fire on a long cook.

HazelHex is a different product. It's made only from carbonised hazelnut shells and a potato-starch binder, with no fillers, accelerants or other additives. That makes it suitable for a kamado. It's rated at 6–8 hours on a single load, so it suits very long cooks such as brisket or overnight pork shoulder.

How to use it in a kamado:

Mix it with lumpwood and light them together. HazelHex gives the long, steady base. The lumpwood brings the fire up faster and adds heat and flavour.
Allow 40–60 minutes for a mixed load to reach cooking temperature, longer than lumpwood alone.
Clear the ash before each cook so the grate holes stay open, as you would with any fuel.

If your grill is still under warranty, it's worth checking the manufacturer's fuel guidance.

Does this apply to a Big Green Egg or other kamados?

Yes. The same principles apply to any ceramic kamado: large pieces, low ash, dry fuel and a controlled load. Always check your own grill's maximum load in its manual.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best charcoal for a Kamado Joe?

Natural lumpwood charcoal with large pieces, low ash and low moisture. Silver birch suits everyday cooking and long low-and-slow; oak or Spanish Holm Oak suit high-heat searing. Kamado Joe recommends lump charcoal over standard briquettes.

Can you use briquettes in a Kamado Joe?

Avoid standard briquettes. Many contain fillers and additives that porous kamado ceramic can absorb, which taints future cooks, and they leave a lot of ash. Briquettes made only from carbonised material and a natural binder, such as HazelHex (hazelnut shell and potato starch), are suitable. Mix them with lumpwood and light them together.

How long does charcoal last in a kamado?

It depends on the fuel, load and airflow. Globaltic silver birch and oak lumpwood are rated at up to 8 hours on a single load in a closed kamado with low airflow.

How much charcoal should I put in a Kamado Joe?

Fill until the mound reaches the fire ring and never overfill. Kamado Joe gives a maximum of about 2.7kg for the Classic III and about 1.36kg for the Joe Jr.

Can I reuse charcoal in a kamado?

Yes. Close both vents after cooking to put the fire out. Next time, stir the ash through the grate, top up with fresh charcoal and relight.